אֲנָחָה (a.na.chah)
a.na.chah
sighing
H:N-FQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 7 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-F
Word Overview
The noun anachah describes the sound of a deep sigh or groan, arising from both physical exhaustion and emotional sorrow. In the Hebrew Bible it captures the audible expression of a spirit that is worn down, whether by the weight of suffering or the strain of labor. It is not merely a quiet thought but a vocalized release of pressure.
This word appears in seven verses, with significant occurrences in Isaiah, Job, and Lamentations. In Isaiah 38:14, for instance, Hezekiah compares his own distress to that of a crane or swallow, using anachah to depict the repetitive, involuntary cries of someone who feels overwhelmed by illness. The term conveys a sense of helplessness where words fail, leaving only the breath of grief.
Its usage highlights the human condition under burden. Translators often render it as "sighing" or "groaning," preserving the physicality of the sound. It serves as a biblical witness to the reality that pain often exceeds language, requiring a raw, vocal response before any resolution can be found.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
There are moments when words simply run out. The Hebrew word anachah captures those deep, audible sighs that escape us when we are worn down by illness, grief, or exhaustion. It reminds us that our pain does not need to be polished or hidden to be heard by God. Even Hezekiah in his sickness and Jeremiah in his despair used this term to describe the raw sound of a heart under pressure.
This word offers comfort because it validates our human limits. We do not have to pretend to be strong when we are breaking. God hears the groan that comes before we even eat, as Job described. It is a honest expression of our need for Him.
There is also profound hope in how this word is used. Isaiah promises that one day sorrow and sighing will flee away. Your current struggles are real, but they are not the final story. God sees your weary heart and invites you to bring your honest sighs to Him, knowing He hears every breath of grief.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 7 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- groaning/ my2×
- and/ sighing2×
- with/ groaning/ my1×
- groaning<s>/ my1×
- groaning/ its1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- וַ/אֲנָחָֽה\׃\ \פ1×
- וַ/אֲנָחָֽה\׃\ \ס1×
- בְּ/אַנְחָתִ֔/י1×
- אַנְחֹתַ֖/י1×
- אַנְחָתָ֖/ה1×
- אַנְחָתִֽ/י\׃1×
- אַנְחָתִ֣/י1×
Key Verses
-
Job 3:24
For my sighing comes before I eat. My groanings are poured out like water.
This verse shows that our deepest anxieties can surface even during daily routines, making the sigh a constant companion to our inner turmoil.
-
Isaiah 35:10
Then Yahweh’s ransomed ones will return, and come with singing to Zion; and everlasting joy will be on their heads. They will obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.”
Here the word marks the end of an era of suffering, promising that God’s redemption will replace these heavy sounds with lasting joy.
-
Lamentations 1:22
“Let all their wickedness come before you. Do to them as you have done to me for all my transgressions. For my sighs are many, and my heart is faint.
The singer connects the physical act of sighing to a faint heart, showing how emotional despair can drain our very strength.